Llanelli fans' joy at reprieve after club bosses pay off tax bill
THE future of Llanelli AFC looks safe after club bosses revealed they had paid off all its outstanding debts.
Football fans were eagerly awaiting the outcome of HM Revenue and Customs legal action against the Reds over unpaid taxes after a petition to wind up the club reached the courts.
The case was set to be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice, but bosses confirmed they had paid all the outstanding money owed to HMRC.
It has not been revealed how much the club owed, but a meeting of Llanelli Town Council heard £5,717.25 plus VAT of rent was currently outstanding on the club’s lease at Stebonheath.
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Llanelli Mayor Winston Lemon said it would have been a “total disaster” if the club had been forced to wind up.
“They are a premier division club bringing European football to the town,” he said.
“They definitely need more support — it’s financially difficult to run a football team of any kind, and people need to rally behind them.”
Prior to the debts being paid by the club, long-time Reds supporter Keith Thomas suggested Carmarthenshire Council should step in to offer the club a hand with its financial difficulties, like he said it had with the Scarlets.
“They have given them (the Scarlets) millions,” he said.
But a Carmarthenshire Council spokesman said all management issues relating to the club were down to Llanelli Town Council.
He said: “In 2008, at the request of the town council, Carmarthenshire Council granted £33,000 from the leisure capital programme towards the cost of upgrading the seating capacity at Stebonheath Park, Llanelli, in order to enable Llanelli AFC to meet UEFA ground criteria.”
A Llanelli AFC club spokesman said: “Llanelli AFC can confirm that the outstanding money owed to HMRC was paid this afternoon and the subsequent winding order will not be actioned.
“The club will now look forward to the rest of the season.”
The Reds crashed 3-1 away against Welsh Premier new boys Connah’s Quay Nomads on Saturday.
alana.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk
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Comments
by gorseboy
Monday, September 03 2012, 8:40PM
“Money owed to HMRC is either Tax the company owes or PAYE deductions from their employees,if it is the latter then the owners are guilty of theft as the monies collected should have been paid over to HMRC within a set time.”
by odinhouse
Monday, September 03 2012, 6:13PM
“TonduTurk , i agree with you But if they had not PAID Taxes they would have gone to the wall . its now up to the People of Llanelli to show more support in the AFC Club .and their Club House .”
by TonduTurk
Monday, September 03 2012, 11:31AM
“Why say they have "paid off all outstanding debts" when they still owe the Council money ?.
Have they payed the money they owe the Scarlets for use of the Barn ?, or the £5k they owe Rhys Griffiths ?, or the money the owe the other Players and Coaching Staff ?
Poor reporting.”